“Incidence under 10 far away”: Debate on opening plan

People are tired, the lockdown has been going on for months. Shops, restaurants and theaters are further too, as are swimming pools and gyms. After all, face-to-face classes for primary school students and daycare centers will start on Monday.

Corona numbers are rising again

But a life like before Corona is not yet possible. Because the numbers are going up again:

 The  German health authorities reported 7,676 new corona infections for Saturday (1,562 more than a week ago).

 The  R value, which reflects the infection rate, has climbed again nationwide to 1.07 and the incidence per 100,000 inhabitants to 60.2.

 The  Robert Koch Institute has been fearful for days that the downward trend in the corona numbers has ended.

 The  main reason for this is probably the “British” mutation of the coronavirus, which is more contagious than the original virus and therefore makes up an ever increasing proportion of the infections. Nevertheless, discussions about possible easing continue.

Planning for easing difficult

 The  SPD chairman Norbert Walter-Borjans insisted on Sunday in the ZDF program “Berlin direkt” on a “legally secure” step-by-step plan that stipulates exactly when which relaxations or restrictions are due. Such a step-by-step plan could be adopted at the next federal-state switch on March 3rd.

 The  chairman of the Prime Minister’s Conference, Berlin’s Governing Mayor Michael Müller (SPD), has announced a “perspective for the spectrum of possible openings”. In his opinion, the incidence values ​​35 and 50 should be used as a guide for loosening, as well as a desired R value of “well below 1”. In addition, the falling utilization of intensive care medicine should also play a role. However, you have to be prepared for the fact that the reins will have to be tightened again when the numbers rise, says Müller.

Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) believes that regionally gradual easing is more practicable, since Bavaria in particular has regions with very high incidences as well as regions with very low ones.

Spahn: Incidence of 10 pretty far away

Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn rejected calls for a time-bound plan for easing the restrictions. “Everyone wants a three- and six-month plan, but that just doesn’t work. I think we shouldn’t make any false promises,” said the CDU politician on the ARD program “Report from Berlin”.

First of all, in view of the increasing spread of virus mutations, he wants to wait and see how the opening of more schools and daycare centers will affect this Monday. “It makes sense, together – that’s the conversation with the federal states – to define the stages from when the next step can be taken. But the truth is: an incidence of less than 10, which is in any case in most regions in Germany pretty far away, “said Spahn.

Lauterbach:

 The  third wave is already here

 The  SPD health politician Karl Lauterbach wrote on Twitter that the third wave had already started.

 The  only question is “how fast and how strong”.